Product Report: CTi OTS Wrist Brace

October 30, 2006

SIZES: XS, S, M, L, XL

PRICE: $350.00

RATING: 9

WHAT IT IS: The CTi OTS wrist brace is an off-the-shelf brace designed for any rider, but especially the ones with wrist problems. The carbon fiber brace is specifically designed to help prevent wrist injuries, and is available in five different sizes with various spacers that restrict movement to a rider’s preferred position.

HITS: Over the time that we have been testing this brace, we have come to think of it in the same way many riders think of their knee braces. In short, we can’t ride without it on anymore—we would just feel naked. This brace does exactly what it is supposed to do, and does it exceptionally well. It did, however, take a little while to get used to wearing the brace, but once we did, it was hardly noticeable. On the palm there isn’t much added material, and many times, even the testers who like gloves with minimal padding didn’t complain about the extra fabric.

MISSES: If there was one thing that we would criticize the CTi Brace for, it would be construction. While the entire frame is made from strong and lightweight carbon fiber, we had an instance where the screw, which holds the piece that rests on the top of your hand, fell out. This could have, however, just been a one-time occurrence since we were informed that the braces are usually assembled with lock-tite. Since then, we have been keeping an eye on the screws, and so far, we haven’t had any more problems. The palm strap also tends to wear out. Thankfully, though, CTi does offer refurbishing kits for the brace so you can get it back in tip-top shape in no time.

VERDICT: After running one of these braces for over a year now, we probably wouldn’t ride without it. And it is easily one of the best wrist braces money can buy. Our resident staffer with wrist problems even wears one on each wrist, as he has had horrible breaks on both of his wrists. Basically, this brace—much like knee braces—helps to raise the level of safety even higher than before, which is never a bad thing.